It is not uncommon for railroad cars which are being pulled along a railroad track to become derailed as the result of the cars rocking back and forth on the railroad tracks until one or more of the cars rocks off the track. Such rocking of the railroad cars typically reaches its maximum when the train reaches a speed of about eighteen miles per hour. Once the car is off the tracks, it is likely to continue to be pulled by the train without detection by the personnel operating the train for some distance, by riding along the ties and the gravel ballast between the ties. Such a derailed car rides roughly, particularly at road crossings, and is likely to bounce out of coupling with the adjacent cars. A more serious derailment can also occur if a derailed car being carried along by the train passes through a switch.
In the past, apparatus has been disclosed for the purpose of providing a means for guiding derailed railroad cars back onto the rails of a railroad track without stopping the train. For example, the apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 349,783 includes ramps for raising the wheels of a derailed car to the level of the top of the track rails and flanges for guiding the car back into lateral alignment with the track rails. However, the ramps appear to be formed of rigid surfaces and appear to have multiple metal sections that must be fastened in place in relation to the track rails by relatively complex fastening means, and to be supported by means sufficient to carry the weight of the railroad cars. By providing a rigid ramp surface, such prior art devices do nothing to damp or prevent the bouncing of a derailed car. When a bouncing car reaches the level of the ramp at the height of the track rails, there is a risk that the car will bounce off the track rails or bounce out of its couplings altogether.